How a VC Can Affect Your Heart
PVCs are common and can be experienced by a wide range of people with no cause for concern. If they are frequent, PVCs may weaken your heart and increase the risk of heart failure.
A bundle of fibers located in the top right portion of your heart (the sinoatrial node, also known as SA) typically controls the heart's rhythm. Electrical signals travel to ventricles, or lower chambers of the heart.
Causes
PVCs occur when the electrical impulse that normally triggers your heartbeat at the Sinus Node (also called the Sinoatrial or SA node) does not. The impulse actually starts in the ventricles, which causes an untimed heartbeat. These extra beats are also known as ventricular tachycardia and ventricular fibrillation. It may feel like the heart beats faster or feels like it is fluttering. They can occur rarely without causing any symptoms, but they can be frequent enough to affect your quality of life. Your doctor might prescribe medication if they are frequent or cause dizziness, weakness or fatigue.
PVCs are generally harmless and do not increase your risk of developing heart disease. Over time, frequent PVCs can weaken the heart muscle. This is especially relevant if they are triggered by a heart disease like dilated cardiomyopathy, or arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy, which may lead to symptomatic heart failure.
The symptoms of PVCs include feeling like your heart beats faster or it flutters. You may feel breathless. The fluttering could be more noticeable when you exercise or consume certain drinks or food items. PVCs are more prevalent for those who suffer from chronic stress or anxiety. Certain medications, such as digoxin, amiodarone and cocaine, can increase their risk.
If you are experiencing occasional PVCs, your doctor may suggest lifestyle changes and medications. If you are prone to frequent PVCs, your physician may suggest that you stay away from certain drinks and foods, such as alcohol and caffeine. You can also reduce your stress and make sure you get enough sleep and exercise.
If you've got a lot of PVCs, your doctor may suggest a medical procedure known as radiofrequency catheter ablation. This procedure eliminates the cells that are responsible for them. Electrophysiologists are the ones who perform this procedure. It is generally successful in treating the PVCs and reducing symptoms, however, it doesn't prevent them from recurring in the future. In some cases it can increase your risk of having atrial fibrillation (AFib), which can cause a stroke. It is not common, but it could be life-threatening.
Symptoms
Premature ventricular contractures or PVCs may cause your heart to skip or flutter. These extra heartbeats are generally harmless, but you should consult your physician when you experience frequent episodes or signs like dizziness or weakness.
Normaly, electrical signals begin in the sinoatrial area, which is located in the upper right corner of the heart. They then move to the lower chambers, or ventricles, which pump blood. The ventricles then expand to push blood into your lungs and return to the heart and start the next cycle of pumping. However, a PVC starts in a different location, from the bundle of fibers, known as the Purkinje fibers in the lower left part of the heart.
When PVCs occur they can make the heart appear to be beating faster or slower. If you've experienced only a few episodes, but no other symptoms, your doctor probably won't be able to treat you. However, if you have number of PVCs and you have other symptoms, your doctor might suggest an electrocardiogram, or ECG to determine the heart's rate over the course of 24 hours. He or she might also recommend wearing a Holter monitor that will track your heart rhythm over time, allowing you to see how many PVCs you have.
People who have suffered previously from a heart attack or cardiomyopathy, a condition which affects the method by which the heart pumps blood - must take their PVCs seriously and speak to an expert in cardiology about lifestyle modifications. These include the avoidance of alcohol, caffeine, and smoking, reducing anxiety and stress and ensuring adequate sleep. A cardiologist may prescribe beta blockers to slow the heartbeat.
Even if you don't experience any other indications, you should still get PVCs checked by a cardiologist if they happen frequently. These irregular heartbeats could indicate problems with the structure of your heart or other health issues and, over time, when they are frequent enough, they can weaken the heart muscle. Most people who suffer from PVCs do not have any problems. They want to know if the fluttering heartbeats or skipping heartbeats is normal.
Diagnosis
PVCs can feel like heartbeats that flutter, particularly if they're frequent and intense. People who experience them frequently may feel faint. They can also occur during exercising, but most athletes who get them don't have any problems in their heart or health. PVCs can be detected in tests such as an electrocardiogram (ECG) or Holter monitor. They have sensors which record electrical impulses that come from your heart. A cardiologist could also employ an ultrasound echocardiogram to study the heart.
Often, a doctor will be able to identify if a person is suffering from PVCs from a patient's history and physical examination. Sometimes, they may only notice them while examining the patient for other reasons, such as after an accident or surgery. window doctors are able to detect PVCs, as well as other arrhythmias. They can be used to detect heart disease in the event of any concern.
If your cardiologist determines your heart is structurally healthy, reassurance might be all that's needed. However, if your symptoms are causing discomfort or cause you to feel anxious, staying away from alcohol, caffeine, and other decongestants as well as reducing stress levels can help. Regular exercise, maintaining a healthy weight and drinking enough fluids can all help to reduce the frequency of PVCs. If your symptoms persist or are severe, speak to your doctor about medication options to treat the symptoms.
Treatment
If PVCs are rare or do not cause symptoms, they don't usually require treatment. If you are frequently affected or frequently, your doctor may wish to check for other heart conditions and suggest lifestyle changes or medication. You could also have a procedure to get rid of them (called radiofrequency catheter ablation).
If you have PVCs The electrical signal that triggers your heartbeat begins somewhere other than the sinoatrial node (SA node) in the top right part of your heart. This could cause your heart to feel as if it skips beats or has extra beats. It's not known what causes these, but they're more common in people with other heart issues. PVCs are more frequent with age and might happen more often during exercising.
If a patient experiences frequent and painful PVCs, a physician should perform an ECG and an echocardiogram to rule out structural heart disease. They may also perform an exercise stress test to determine whether the additional beats are a result of physical activity. A heart catheterization, cardiac MRI or nuclear perfusion study can be conducted to determine other reasons for the extra beats.
The majority of people with PVCs don't experience any problems and can enjoy an ordinary life. They may increase the risk of heart rhythm disorders that can be dangerous particularly if they happen in certain patterns. In some cases, this means that the heart muscle becomes weaker and has difficulty pumping blood throughout your body.
Regular exercise and a balanced diet will lower the risk of developing PVCs. Avoid foods that are high in fat and sodium as well as limit caffeine and tobacco. Sleep and stress are also crucial. Some medicines may also increase the risk of developing PVCs. If you take any of these medications it is crucial to follow your doctor's advice regarding healthy eating and exercising as well as taking your medication.
Studies of patients with a high burden of PVCs (that's more than 20 percent of their total heart beats) found that they had a higher risk of arrhythmia-induced cardiomyopathy. This can result in the need for a heart transplant in a few people.